Devices containing optical indicia readers are well known. Several different types of optical indicia reader are currently available for use in such devices. For example, data gathering devices exist that contain a laser scanner type of reader or an area-type reader. Different readers may use different wavelengths of light or may read at different ranges. Further, the same general style of optical reading component can often be found in different form factors.
It is frequently the case that a specific type of reader component will work best with a specific type of window or window orientation. Thus, different windows or window orientations can be needed for use with different reader components. As a result, housing and window systems are manufactured to suit the particular type of optical indicia reader to be used therein. This approach makes it quite difficult and costly to offer different product configurations having different types of optical reader components.
A prior symbology reader system is known that employs a user-replaceable window system. Such a system is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,572,007, issued Nov. 5, 1996, to Aragon et al. The Aragon system provides a user-replaceable window to facilitate, for example, replacement of a damaged window. Aragon, however, does not teach the use of different types of optical indicia reader components in different configurations of a base housing.
Consequently, a new information handling device is needed that can be efficiently manufactured and that can accommodate various configurations offering different optical indicia reading components. For example, an information gathering device capable of housing in different configurations either a laser scanner or a digital imager is needed. It is also desired to create an information handling device that can be easily and quickly customized with a window appropriate for the type of optical indicia reader that it will house in a given configuration. Further, it is believed that a review of this specification, including its claims and drawings, will reveal and imply additional deficiencies of the prior systems that are improved or remedied by the inventions disclosed herein.